AUSTRALIA & NEWSLETTER SEA NEWSLETTER N° 4

DECLARATION OF INTENTIONS BETWEEN - NEW CALEDONIA AND

FOR THE SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT Field Field OF THE

The Declaration, signed in 2010, confirms the intention for Australia and Joint ( France-New Caledonia to work collaboratively to:

 strengthen the scientific framework for collaboration on the ) conservation and management of the Coral Sea and its environs;  establish long term collaboration between the bodies and institutions responsible for the management of ocean, reef and areas of the Coral Sea; and

 strengthen regional capacity building efforts to ensure a Commonwealth of Australia Australia of Commonwealth

comprehensive trans-boundary approach to the conservation of

© Program Management biological diversity of the Coral Sea, including natural resources, in a cooperative and complementary manner. This newsletter will be published periodically to provide an update on the Felicity Savage was the first female ranger. progression of activities under the Declaration. Through this joint program, marine park rangers and staff from the Marine Park Authority and the Parks and Wildlife AUSTRALIA Service work together to deliver practical on- ground activities that mitigate threats and build Reef resilience. The program is supported by a RANGERS CELEBRATE 40 YEARS PROTECTING growing network of partnerships with other THE GREAT BARRIER REEF government agencies, research institutions, industry, community groups, and Indigenous Land Saving vulnerable turtles and seabirds, restoring and Sea Rangers. tourism infrastructure after cyclones, monitoring crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks and ensuring zoning rules are followed just some of the Reef The Reef Joint Field Management Program won the protection activities undertaken by the Great Gold Award for the 2019 Prime Minister’s Awards Barrier Reef Joint Field Management Program, for Excellence in Public Sector Management which celebrated its 40th anniversary in June 2019. recognising its approach to tackle threats to the Reef; delivering unwavering on-ground outcomes and fostering strong relationships. Since 1979, rangers and marine managers from the Australian and Queensland governments have joined forces to protect the iconic and vast Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area with the creation ority) of a single field management program.

Four decades later, the two levels of government Commonwealth of Australia Australia of Commonwealth continue to work closely in this unique partnership, ,

guided by the Great Barrier Reef Island

Intergovernmental Agreement, to protect our reefs Raine

and islands that are home to iconic plants, animals, (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Auth Park Marine Reef Barrier (Great © habitats and rich cultural heritage. Caring for turtles on Raine Island – supporting the world’s largest green turtle nesting population and an important seabird rookery.

DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP BY AUSTRALIA & NEW CALEDONIA NEWSLETTER CORAL SEA NEWSLETTER N° 4

CORAL SEA MARINE PARK REEF HEALTH TURTLE TRACKS PROJECT

© Reef fish and coral – Daniela Ceccarelli © Turtle released with satellite tag – W.Zamai In early 2020, research trips were undertaken as In mid-2018 Parks Australia purchased 8 satellite part of our three-year project to assess coral tags to attach to nesting turtles on the southern bleaching, fish and invertebrates and associated islands within the Coral Sea Marine Park to get reef health in the Coral Sea Marine Park. better information on where the for